Photo: ABC News
TLC's documentary "My Monkey Baby" ran on October 4th, and has since received loads of blog buzz. And rightfully so. It's just so... bizarre.
The program introduces three couples who, in lieu of an an actual, er, human child, have adopted monkeys. According to the show, this is a growing trend, embraced by upwards of 15,000 American households. But don't call them monkeys, says Jim Johnson, adopted pop to Jessica Marie. "She's my daughter."
The show's couples treat their monkeys more like little people than like pets: calling them their kids, feeding them human food, even applying makeup on their furry little faces. One featured woman, Mary Lynn, lets her "monkid" Silly Willy sleep in bed with her. Sure, many animal lovers let their pets sleep in their beds, but then again, dogs and cats don't wear diapers and pajamas when catching their Zs.
This anthropomorphizing may be due to the fact that some of the couples depicted are unable or unwilling to have children of their own.
Yes, monkeys are really, really cute. But they are also wild animals that grow less docile with age (a fact only casually acknowledged by monkey owners in the documentary). Unfortunately, the program doesn't address what happens when the monkeys grow up, or even how living as an eternal baby affects the monkeys themselves.
While we were fascinated with these devoted animal lovers, we couldn't help but wonder about all of the things left unsaid in this incomplete look at growing up monkey.
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The people treating the monkeys as their child are lacking something and should probably see a pyscologist. The only person that should be allowed to have these monkeys would be people with a disability the monkey could be trained to help. They are great service animals for many people. To treat them like never growing children will indeed cause problems in their later years.
I watched the program, well part of it. None of it bothered me until I saw the video of the "breeder monkeys" that was enough for me to turn the channel.
Those poor breeder monkeys were locked in tiny cages in a shack or basement or something. How on earth people could purchase a monkey from a breeder who keeps pairs like that is beyond me. Whether your purchasing dogs, cats, birds it doesn't matter... you need to pay attention to how the sellers care for their "profit" and decide whether the parents of these animals are living a good healthy life or whether they are just poor locked up breeders only there to mate - have baby taken away - mate again... and again... just to put money in a seller's pockets.
Breeder animals should be in clean, fresh, large environments whether caged or not. They should have plenty of room to play, have plenty of natural sunshine, be able to move around, jump, climb, run, fly whatever they naturally do. Don't let anyone try and tell you that they HAVE to or WANT to live in dark small places or they will not breed. No animal in nature should live under those conditions. It's only an easy way out for the the person doing the selling! If people would go to the breeder/seller's home and see animals locked up like that and WALK AWAY... I bet the breeder would either stop breeding or provide a better environment for their pairs!
I can only hope the show ended with a very realistic warning about what happens when the cute baby grows up because that's when the real challenge comes in. If people aren't prepared for ANY "baby" pet growing up.... everyone will loose and sadly most will end up right back in the hands of another seller/breeder locked in a tiny basement cage to produce another generation of profits. The cycle to be continued.
I treat my dog like she is a human, she even eats everything that I eat and most of that is veggies...She understands and listens really well.
People who treat animals like they are humans have something wrong with them. I'm not saying it's wrong to love your pet, and pamper them every now and again, but to treat them like something they're not is unacceptable.
Now I'm not trying to start any arguments here. But what I'm saying is the truth, if anyone's watched the Dog Whisperer that's one thing Ceaser says CONSTANTLY. Never treat your dog like a human, because depending on how much you pamper it, it could develop behavior and health problems.
No offense Michele, but veggies aren't very good for your dog. Dog's are carnivorous, and while slipping it leftovers every now and again won't kill them, it's highly discouraged to feed your pet human food.
Your a total MORON. And know NOTHING about animals or their diet. My dog eats vegetables all the time. (Also on a raw meat diet) He is FINE!!!!
And why dont you go bother people that are doing something wrong?
These people just LOVE their pets. Some people are OBESSED with their cars/hair/makeup/weight.
Why dont you just go away.
A**HOLE.
@ Leo - While you do make good points, I have to disagree for the most part. No, you cannot treat an pet exactly as a human. We are different animals. I think it is safe to say a bird cannot be treated exactly like a dog, or a gerbil exactly like a cat, either. But, animals are living, thinking, FEELING creatures, and should be treated and respected as such. As for dogs being carnivorous, they are not. They are omnivorous, just like humans. People food is not good for them because so much of it is horribly processed and actually not particularly good for humans, either. We also require different amounts of essential nutrients, hence why a dog should not live on a human diet. Veggies are, however, very good for dogs. Excessive grains are not. Cats, however, are carnivors, and require little else besides meats in their diet.
Dogs are actually omnivours, not carnivours. Veggies absolutely should be part of their diet. Veggies like green beans, carrots, small pieces of apple are wonderful treats, instead of those sodium laden pseudo-treats sold under the name of Puperoni, snausages, and similar.
treating animals like people is pathetic. it sickens me when people say "I adopted" a dog. People are adopted...Dogs are paid for...
Doesn't it cost more to adopt a human baby, than an animal?
Hey I have an idea when they were showing previews I thought it was a little off. So geeze guess what I didnt watch it. Turn station people.
People who treat animals like humans have something wrong with them, they should be treated BETTER.
In all seriousness, dogs have no prejudices, they live in the moment, not worrying about yesterday or tomorrow, and they love unconditionally, not caring about your status, your income or your appearance.
As the old saying goes, "The more people I meet, the more I like my dog."
The problem here is that monkeys are considered "wild" animals. Yes, some can be trained to be used as service animals, however the majority should simply NOT be kept as "pets" by anyone!
This article is good in that it actually states that and tells you a bit why...but it seems these people aren't going to be listening because they want what they want.
THESE PEOPLE ARE REAL MENTAL CASES...THEY MOST LIKELY WOULD NEVER PASSTHE PSYCH TEST TO ADOPT A REAL HUMAN BABY..THEY ARE FREAKY
Actually Leo, DOGS are OMNIVORES and can certainly eat veggies, fruit, etc. with no problems.
Cats are the ones who absolutely must have meats - "...Unlike dogs and other omnivores, cats are true (so-called “obligate”) carnivores: They meet their nutritional needs by consuming other animals and have a higher protein requirement than many other mammals. Cats get certain key nutrients from meat—including taurine, arachidonic acid, vitamin A and vitamin B12—that can’t be sufficiently obtained from plant-based foods. Without a steady supply of these nutrients, cats can suffer from liver and heart problems, not to mention skin irritation and hearing loss."
Do let me point out that cats can and DO love to eat veggies and so on, but they aren't necessary for their health as the meats are. In fact, I have some who love things like spinach and olives...another loves peanut butter!
Oh, and while you should certainly NOT feed any of them a steady diet of people food, it's more HOW the food is prepared than anything else!
.I never paid for my dog....but a lot of people pay to "adopt" a child. Adopt isn't just a term for people...it is a term of ownership. Money isn't always there. By the way folks dogs and cats are carnivors (meat-eaters) therefore all the nutrition in their diet comes from meat. They will greatfully eat veggies but all that does is fill them up not nourish their bodies. It how the digestive system is designed...dogs and cats are not vegans. Humans on the other hand are omnivores ( meat or plant eaters). So we benefit from vegetable or meat. Its fine to give your dog or cat veggies as a supplement to their meat diet...in fact I have found it helps their digestion...but they can't live on veggies alone.
To each his own, I will keep my comments to my self all I can do is smile. Good luck to these people.
As long as the monkey's attack their owners when they grow up, I don't have a problem with this.
To each his own, I will keep my comments to my self all I can do is smile. Good luck to these people.
To each his own, I will keep my comments to my self all I can do is smile. Good luck to these people.
They found tah monkeys are more inteligent than humans.